I ushered Liu Zuizi into the taxi.
"Driver, hurry."
"It's late at night, I'm not familiar with the roads. Let's just drive normally."
"Take the highway, I'll cover the cost."
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror. "Why the rush? What are you two up to?"
"Us? Oh, it's like this. His wife is like Pan Jinlian, having an affair with someone else. We're going back to catch them in the act."
With that, I gave Liu Zuizi's thigh a pat, causing him to yelp in pain.
"You bastard, I won't spare you. Sooner or later, I'll chop you up."
"Second Uncle, don't be upset. A real man shouldn't be troubled by wives. You'll find a young and pretty one with a big bottom and have a bunch of kids."
The driver grumbled indignantly, "Brother, what this young man said is right. It's not easy for us men to earn money out here. It's not worth it for such women. Sit tight, I'm taking off."
With a press of the accelerator, the engine roared, and the car sped off.
The highway was clear, and there were no cars at night. In about half an hour, we exited the highway. The car turned from a main road onto a smaller one. After leaving the county town, we drove for a short while before abruptly stopping.
The driver refused to go any further, citing the dangerous rural surroundings.
"I'm telling you, we're good people. Hurry up and go, don't delay the catching of the adulterers."
"Brother, let me be frank. Last month, they found six legs in a dried-up well in the northern suburbs. It's risky out here, so cut me some slack."
With no other choice, I gave the driver 500 yuan and told him to leave.
It was now 2:30 in the morning. Liu Zuizi said the destination was about two kilometers away, and the rest of the journey had to be completed on foot.
We had only walked a few hundred meters when Liu Zuizi leaned against a tree by the roadside, lifted one leg like a dog peeing, and gritted his teeth. "I can't walk anymore, it's too painful."
"Even if you can't walk, you have to. Hurry up."
I placed Liu Zuizi's arm over my shoulder and helped him continue forward.
Under the cold moonlight, a dried-up riverbed appeared ahead. Across the bank, the dilapidated brick kiln could vaguely be seen.
Descending to the riverbed, we lay on the riverbank and looked over. The brick kiln was silent, without any movement.
"What time is it now?"
Liu Zuizi lifted his wrist, adjusted the angle, and by the faint moonlight said, "Quarter past three."
"But didn't we agree on four o'clock? Why is there no sign of anything happening?"
"You're too young. If you can't stay patient, it's all been said, four o'clock isn't here yet."
With a nudge from his elbow, Liu Zuizi continued, "These big bosses are punctual. It's called the spirit of contract. You don't understand."
A breeze picked up, not strong, but it seeped into my pants along my ankles, causing me to shiver involuntarily.
As the agreed time approached, Liu Zuizi also became somewhat uneasy. Standing in the vast wheat field, he muttered something to himself as he gazed into the distance.
"It's almost four o'clock, something must have gone wrong."
"Liu Zuizi, are you lying to me? There's no transaction happening at all."
Liu Zuizi didn't answer me. Limping, he headed towards the direction of the brick kiln.
"You old bastard, stop right there, or I'll shoot."
刘嘴子没理我,身影逐渐变得模糊起来,我赶紧快步跟了上去.
刚一进去,就闻到了一股浓重的血腥味,地上随意的摆放着一些内脏,更可怕的是还有十几个类似胎儿的尸体,惨不忍睹.
经过仔细辨认,这些并不是人类的身体组织,而是奶山羊的内脏和羊羔子.
当年偷羊贼很多,一晚上就能把一米多厚的土墙挖穿,悄无声息的将羊偷走.
估计这里是一个临时的屠宰点,为了方便运输,偷羊贼就在这里进行了屠宰.
刘嘴子脸色一变,跑到一个角落里,盯着一堆砖头看了半天.
我问道:"看什么呢?"
刘嘴子说:"永陵陪葬品就埋在地下,这些砖头都是我亲自码放的,要是被动过我肯定能看出来."
拍了拍手上的尘土,长出一口气,刘嘴子接着说:"东西还在,不过这里已经不安全了,得尽快转移才行."
就在这时,远处突然有灯光忽高忽低,忽明忽暗,不停闪烁,两辆车一前一后的开了过来.
见状,刘嘴子突然推了我一把,拔腿就向外跑.
"二小姐,杜光庭手里有枪,救我."
刘嘴子练就一嘴口技绝活,本来就声如洪钟,又在窑炉的反复迭加之下加强,简直就跟大喇叭广播似的.
他腿不好,根本跑不快,我追上去用枪托狠狠地砸在了他的头上,刘嘴子"哎呀"一声倒在了地上.
"这是你自找的,别怪我手黑."
又使劲砸了几下,刘嘴子满脸是血,彻底躺平不动了,回头一看,灯光刺眼,甚至能够听见汽车发动机的声音,急忙将刘嘴子拖拽到了窑炉后面,用柴草做了掩盖,我自己也躲了起来.
前面一辆深绿色的陆地巡洋舰,也就是俗称的大牛头,一把方向停在了下来.
车门打开,一条黑背窜了出来,在地上嗅了嗅,屁股一沉,拉了一堆热气腾腾的狗屎,然后摇着尾巴跑来跑去.
白若雪下了车,警惕的四下望了望.
厢式货车掉了个头,停在了一百多米远的地方,车子没有熄火,车上的人也始终没有下来.
这帮人贼精贼精的,一定瞪着眼睛看后视镜,注意观察着一切,一旦有风吹草动立刻逃窜.
"刘叔."
白若雪现在门口喊了一声,没有人应答,她的声音立刻警惕起来.
"老刘,刘嘴子."
等了片刻,依旧无人应答,白若雪当即回到了车上,发动车子,拿起手机拨通了一个电话号码.
当年的手机很多都有闪光灯,五颜六色的,类似于现在汽车的氛围灯一样.
五彩的灯光下,我看到她阴着脸,冷若冰霜.
突然,一阵铃声响起,歌曲是"九百九十九朵玫瑰".
刘嘴子的口袋一闪一闪的,掏出手机一看,正是白若雪打来的,立刻就挂断了.
距离比较远,白若雪在车上,并没有察觉到什么.
用刘嘴子的手机给白若雪回了一条信息:二小姐,实在不好意思,我那该死的冤家怀了我的种,被她老公知道了,闹到了派出所,我脱不了身,回头我会亲自跟白老太解释的.
发完短信以后,白若雪的手机屏幕一亮,她苦笑一声,摇了摇头,熄了火,下车冲后面招了招手.
厢式货车缓缓倒了过来,在窑炉门口停下,车门打开,两个人从驾驶室跳了下来.